Apantes, Miraflor

Romeo 6 are based in Alpantes in the beautiful Miraflor reserve. Fantastic scenery all round. The project Claire and Connor are delivering with their Raleigh team is a community centre which has been built over two phases (6 weeks). They are progressing well and have already put the roof on.

We arrive on their day off work, and are treated to the Raleigh Races – a day of sport for the local children, which has been arranged by the team. We climb up to the top of a hill where there is some clear ground, carrying various pieces of equipment for the races. Instructions to the participants (children and parents) is to arrive at 09:30… in true Nicaraguan time sense an hour passed and there is no sign of anyone.

The team fear the worst. More time passes and then slowly a trickle of one or two children arrive, popping up across the fields and out of the jungle. Within in another hour we have approximately 30 children and the races begin.

There is not a whole lot to do here and the kids are very enthusiastic. The organisation Claire and the team have put in is impressive, no attention to detail is spared. Races are divided into age groups and heats, a lot measuring goes on. Races include obstacle courses, sack race, welly wanging, 3-legged, potato and spoon, balloon race, steeple chase (30 & 50m), a strenuous spade pull, tug of war and more.

More and more kids keep arriving and there is some concern that there is not enough certificates and some have to be quickly made on the fly. The tug of war – Raleigh girls vs Raleigh guys is won by no-one – after a mammoth pull the rope snaps.

The roadtrip team get to play visiting celebratories and hand out the awards at a full medal ceremony and certificates (hand drawn!) awarded to all. Unfortunately the ceremony is cut short by a thunderstorm, kids scatter for shelter, some for home but Kat manages to get a last photo call of the remainder.